A look at what the 2017 Iowa Hawkeyes accomplished
By Troy Weiman
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Describing a five-month, 13-game college football season in just one word is often not the easiest task.
The 8-5 Iowa Hawkeyes may be the toughest team to define in 2017. The best I can do is call the season what it was.
2017 was imperfect.
There was plenty of good that happened for the Hawkeyes. Examples include the comeback victory in overtime at rival Iowa State and the resounding 55-24 victory over No. 3 Ohio State.
Of course, there were some low points, such as the 66 total yards effort at Wisconsin, and the senior day letdown versus Purdue.
2017 was imperfect.
The good included Josey Jewell cementing his legacy as one of the best Hawkeye linebackers to date, and Akrum Wadley jump-cutting his way into Hawkeye lore.
The bad included road loses to Michigan State and Northwestern in low scoring games, and the heartbreaker versus No. 4 Penn State on the game’s final play.
Flashes of greatness shined bright, but dark curtains of disappointment were also quick to close.
2017 was imperfect.
There was plenty to cheer about, and many reasons to be proud of the Hawkeye gridiron men. This season won’t go down as the greatest or most memorable in program history, but it certainly won’t be looked down on as a failure either.
Here are some of the numbers, team and individual, the Hawkeyes provided us in 2017, starting with something more important than football:
The Kinnick Wave
70,000+ fans wave to patients at Stead Family Children’s Hospital
Disney Spirit Award
Dubbed “Best New Tradition in Sports”
Head Coach Kirk Ferentz
143 career victories, ties Hayden Fry for most in program history
143 wins, fifth in Big Ten history
7-8 in bowl games since 2001, only Ohio State (8) has more in Big Ten
Akrum Wadley
3,904 career all-purpose yards, ninth program history
2, 872 career rush yards, fifth program history
35 career total touchdowns, tied second program history
28 career rush touchdowns, fourth program history
Iowa bowl record 171 kickoff return yards
Pinstripe Bowl MVP
Josey Jewell
Unanimous All-American selection
Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year
Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year
Jack Lambert Award
LOTT Impact Award
437 career tackles, fourth program history
136 tackles in 2017, career high and most since Pat Angerer in 2009 (145)
Josh Jackson
Unanimous All-American selection
Jim Thorpe Award finalist
Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year
Jack Tatum Award
8 INTs this season, tied most program history (D. King, L. King, N. Kinnick)
8 INT this season, leads nation
26 passes defended, leads nation
2.0 passes defended/game, leads nation
Matt VandeBerg
54 career games, most program history
134 career receptions, 10th program history
1,686 career receiving yards, 15th program history
32 consecutive games with at least one reception
Nate Stanley
26 TD passes this season, tied second program history (C. Long, 27 in 1985)
Noah Fant
11 TD receptions this season, team high
Most TD receptions since Marvin McNutt (12) in 2012
11 TD receptions, tied 11th in nation, leads Big Ten
First Team All-Big Ten
Josey Jewell (sr. LB)
Josh Jackson (jr. CB)
Second Team All-Big Ten
Sean Welsh (sr., OL), [First Team Media Selection]
Third Team All-Big Ten
Akrum Wadley (sr. RB)
Noah Fant (so. TE)
Honorable Mention Big Ten
James Daniels (jr. C)
Nathan Bazata (sr. DT)
Ben Niemann (sr. LB)
Anthony Nelson (so. DE); [Third Team Media Selection]
Big Ten Sportsmanship Honorees
Miles Taylor (sr. S)
Team
21 INTs this season, leads nation
5 INTs returned for TDs, tied fourth in nation
Ended 5-game bowl losing skid, win over Boston College in Pinstripe Bowl
4 trophy victories (Cy-Hawk, Floyd of Rosedale, Heroes, Pinstripe)
Defeated No. 3 Ohio State 55-24, first win over OSU since 2004
Improved to 4-1 last 5 games vs AP Top (19-21 L vs PSU; 55-24 W vs OSU)
Senior Class
35 wins last four years, 28 wins last three years
The 2018 Iowa football season kicks off on September 1 against Northern Illinois at Kinnick Stadium. What it will bring is anyone’s guess.
